responsible
adjective
re·spon·si·ble
ri-ˈspän(t)-sə-bəl 
1
2
a
: able to answer for one's conduct and obligations : trustworthy
b
: able to choose for oneself between right and wrong
3
: marked by or involving responsibility or accountability
responsible financial policies
4
: politically answerable
especially
: required to submit to the electorate if defeated by the legislature
—used especially of the British cabinet
responsibleness
noun
Examples of responsible in a Sentence
"If you all die of typhoid I won't be responsible!" he snapped. "If you die of dullness, neither will I," Helen echoed in her heart.
—
Virginia Woolf, The Voyage Out, 1915
I have long since ceased to cherish any spirit of bitterness against the Southern white people on account of the enslavement of my race. No one section of our country was wholly responsible for its introduction, and, besides, it was recognized and protected for years by the General Government.
—Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery, 1900, 1901
He resumed our walk with me, passing his hand into my arm. "Then when AM I going back?" I wore, in turning it over, my most responsible air.
—Henry James, The Turn of the Screw, 1898
She is a very responsible worker.
Is he responsible enough to have a car?
Virginia Woolf, The Voyage Out, 1915
I have long since ceased to cherish any spirit of bitterness against the Southern white people on account of the enslavement of my race. No one section of our country was wholly responsible for its introduction, and, besides, it was recognized and protected for years by the General Government.
—Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery, 1900, 1901
He resumed our walk with me, passing his hand into my arm. "Then when AM I going back?" I wore, in turning it over, my most responsible air.
—Henry James, The Turn of the Screw, 1898
She is a very responsible worker.
Is he responsible enough to have a car?
Recent Examples on the Web
According to the latest McKinsey research, last year’s Travel Tuesday alone was responsible for a 54% growth in the number of cruise bookings made.
—Ramsey Qubein, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
The new board has been elected to a two-year term that begins on Jan. 1 and will be responsible for setting organizational strategy and overseeing finances for the USTA, the national governing body for tennis in the United States.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 22 Nov. 2024
In my role as lead strategist and impact officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, I am often asked who is responsible for leading diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the workplace.
—Carla Thompson Payton, Essence, 22 Nov. 2024
She’s worked with experimental auteurs ranging from Robert Zemeckis to Denis Villeneuve, appeared in episodes of Friends and Tales From the Crypt, and is responsible for one of the funniest line readings of all time, courtesy of her two-episode arc as Alec Baldwin’s ex-wife on 30 Rock.
—Keaton Bell, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for responsible 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ramsey Qubein, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
The new board has been elected to a two-year term that begins on Jan. 1 and will be responsible for setting organizational strategy and overseeing finances for the USTA, the national governing body for tennis in the United States.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 22 Nov. 2024
In my role as lead strategist and impact officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, I am often asked who is responsible for leading diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the workplace.
—Carla Thompson Payton, Essence, 22 Nov. 2024
She’s worked with experimental auteurs ranging from Robert Zemeckis to Denis Villeneuve, appeared in episodes of Friends and Tales From the Crypt, and is responsible for one of the funniest line readings of all time, courtesy of her two-episode arc as Alec Baldwin’s ex-wife on 30 Rock.
—Keaton Bell, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for responsible
Dictionary Entries Near responsible
Cite this Entry
“Responsible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/responsible. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
responsible
adjective
re·spon·si·ble
ri-ˈspän(t)-sə-bəl
1
a
: being the one who must answer or account for something
the committee responsible for the job
b
: being the cause or explanation
the germ responsible for the disease
2
a
: able to meet one's obligations : reliable
a responsible citizen
b
: able to choose for oneself between right and wrong
3
: requiring a person to take charge of or be trusted with important matters
a responsible job
responsibleness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share